Jttlitis j



J. J. MILLER. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE IGNITION INDICATOR. APPLICATIONFILED Auc. 21. 1917.

1, 3 l 3, 3 l 9 Patented Aug. 19, 191.).

v JULIUS J. MILLER, on ST. JOSEPE 'mmeen.

INTERNALCOMBUSTION-ENGINE IGNfiION-INDICATOR Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

Application filed August 27, 1917. Serial No. 188,294.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS J. MILLER, a

citizen of the United States of America, and resident of St. Joseph,Michigan, have 111- vented a certain new and useful Improvement inInternal-(lombustion-Engine Ignition-Indicators, of which the'followingis a specification.

My invention relates to devices for use in connection with the ignitionsystems of internal combustion engines, such as those used onautomobiles, and more particularly to those for use in connection withinternal combustion engines having a plurality of cylinders.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved indicator whichwill show whether the spark plugs of the different cylinders areproperly receiving current, or whether some particular spark plug isreceiving no current, thus indicating which engine cylinder is out ofuse.

Another object is to provide an improved indicator of this characterwhich will serve also as a spark intensifier for the spark plugs of theignition system.

Another object is to provide an improved indicator connected with theignition system and provided with means for at will controlling thesupply of current to the diiferent spark plugs, so that the current canbe cut off from any spark plug at will, thereby to determine whichcylinder is out of use or running without explosion of the fuel therein.

It is also an object to provide certain de tails and features ofconstruction and combinations tending to increase the general efficiencyand desirability of an ignition indicator of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends my invention consists in mattershereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figmc 1 is a' diagram showing the application of an indicator embodyingthe principles of my invention to the ignition system of an automobile.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said indi- Fig. 6 is a detail section online 6-6 in Fig.4.

As thus illustrated, the engine A of the automobile may be of anysuitable character,

and in this case is shown as having four cylinders. The ordinaryignition system, whereby electric current is supplied to the spark plugs1, 2, 3 and 4 of said engine, involves the usual distributer B, havingbinding posts 5, ,6, 7 and 8, which correspond to said spark plugs, inthe usual and wellknown manner. The four connections 9, however, whichlead from the spark plugs, instead of being connected to saiddistributer. in the ordinary manner, are connected in proper order tothe four screws 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the indicator C, which-latter ismounted on the dash of the automobile.

The four connections 14 leading from the the circuits of the sparkplugs, so that thecurrent for each plug must jump a gap in theindicator, whereby the current or sparking action is made visible to thedriver or occupant of the automobile. The front portion of the indicatorbody is provided with four holes 19,20, 21 and 22, and a glass plate 23is arranged over these holes, whereby windows are provided for exposingto view the spark gaps, so that the sparking action is in plain view. Alongitudinal slide 24, of insulating material, is provided at its endwith a handle 25,'and thisslide is provided with metal inserts 26 andwith notches 27, whereby the spark gaps are each operative to produce avisible sparking action when notches 27 are opposite their respectivespark, gaps, and whereby this electrical sparking action will stop assoon as the slide 24 is this purpose, The screws 10, 11, 12 and 13tloivn, obviously, to

Furthemi re, a I 1'1 H ross t ne iront of c e electrodes 15, 16,

he l an 2 16 and is provided with metal he operated by push buttons 30,

one of these springs can he mished into contact, With any one of the aland l W w; bpl. High 250 to whereby any corresponding thereto isgrounded or shortcircuitetl, and no current will he supplied to thisplug. it happens, sometimes, although I the soarlrinv action on theinclicator a'ooesrs l C} 1 .L

to be normal, in looting that all the plrgs are receiving current, thatfuel in one of the cylinders is not being ignited and is not exploded.This may be for the reason that the ark gzlu has become foul and Whileit receives current, the sparking action is so interfered. with that thefuel does not ignite in this particular cylinrler. Of course,

when one cylinder is thus out of ortler', and is not contributing to thepower of the engins, th sonntl of the engine has a distinct character,and sound will be changed if the s arlz'nlu of mother ovliuc is cut outi w I U l) .ms the different buttons can he L one is found which notchange the sound the engine iilfl which,

erofore, responds to the cylinder Wll'iftll' 11s out of oroer, and thusthe chauffeur or mechanic can readily determine which cylincler is out fcommission. In this way, the ignition s3 tern isnot only provided withmeans to indicate on the of the automobile the condition of each sparkplug cir cult, by making the current or spark visible, but are alsoprovided for at will con trolling the supply of current the dilierent-spark plugs, whereby any plug i'eceii ing current but at the s e timenot pro-- clucing the proper igni on can he iounxi, .Furthermore, thespark gaps can he of a charac er to intensi y 51 at the spark plugs, innet, by using; the metals known and Well untlerst-oocl for this purpo inthe construction of the screws 11,

and 13 l and 118, in a manuer'that will be readily on clerstoocl. Forexample, steel used the electrodes of ommon or ordinary sparkintensifiers, out 3* other which will produce JlQfiiLilLfil eii ect, ani w ich kiwi-7Z1 oui'pose, can he rat,

and the upper eleotrocles 15-, .6, 1?

the construction of the points or Elffl'lllbi which form the snarl, ofthe inaliuzt The indicator can be suitably mount 1;, and can used onautomobiles motor boats, 01? any other place where it is (lesirablc tointlic'ate the condition of the ignition system of an internalcombustion englue I iWhat I claim as my invention is:

1,. In combination with an internal combustion ermine, and the ignitionsystem thereof, a plurality 01"- spark gaps arranged close together inslow, one for each cylincler of the engine, comprising metal elementsspaced apart to form the gaps, a spring strip disposed adjacentto oneelement of each gap, means by which the strips all grounded, a structureto support and close together in a row, one for each cylin tier of theengine, comprising metal elements spaced apart to form the gaps, areciprocating member arranged parallel With said row of gaps, metalmeans carried by said memher and adapted for lllSBllZlOPflD'Stlld gapsby the shifting of the member" to stop the sparking, a handle to operatesaid member, and a structure tosupport said metal ele ments an l memberin operative relation.

' 3, in combination with an internal combustion. engine, and theignition system thereof, a pair of spaced metal elements forminga sparkgap, metal means for insertion in the gap to stop the sparking, a singlehandle for operating said'means, a device for engaging one of saidelements to I The invention is not limited to the exact constructionshown and described.

ground the circuit of the gap, said (lei-ice,

being operable independently of said metal means, and a separate handleto operate said (JlGVlCB.

4 A structure as specified in cla m 3, in combinat on with one or moresimilar spark gaps, one for each cylincler of the engine,

havingsimilar metal. means for insertion in each." gap, all controllezland 'operatetl by said single handle, and a similar device and.

separate handle for each aclditional spark:

5, A structure as specified in claim member consisting of a strip ofinsulation,

v and Slllii meta-l means consisting of small portions of metal whichare clisposerl in a row in plane of saiol gaps and insulated 1 other bysaiol member, 7

acture as snecil'iecl in seitl strip being adapted to member beingmovable longitudinally and parallel with said row of gaps, and saidmetal means being disposed in the line of said row.

7. In combination with an internal com bustlon engine,

and the ignition system thereof, a spark gap, another spark gap, andreciprocating mechanism having means for insertion in each gap to stopthe spark ing action, said means having an inoperative position at oneside of each spark gap, said engine having a spark plug corresponding toeach spark gap, said mechanism includ'ng a plate of insulation having anopening therein for each spark gap, a metal inset in said plate for eachgap, forming said means to prevent the sparking, and a handle forshifting said plate to bring the openings thereof out of alinement withthe spark gaps, so that each gap will be occupied by itsallotted metalinset.

8. In combination with an internal com bustion engine, and the ignitionsystem thereof, a plurality of spark gaps corresponding to the diiierentcylinders of the engine, a push button for each spark gap, a springstrip for each push button, each be pushed against one side of the sparkgap of its allotted push button, means to electrically connect saidspring strips together, means to ground said spring strips, insulatingmeans to support the spark gaps, a reciprocating plate in saidinsulating means, said plate having an opening for each spark gap, ahandle for shiftin said plate to bring the openings thereo out ofalinement with the spark gaps, means on said late forinsertion in thespark gaps, there y to stop the sparktil ing action, and means to mountthe structure in the desired position.

9. A; structure as specified in claim 2, in combination with meanswhereby one element of each spark gap is ward and away from the otherelement ofthe gap,thereb'y to insure oorrect'space be tween the elementsfor the reception of said metal means. 1"

10. In an' automobile internal combustion engine ignition system, tionof the following eight instrumentalities, to wit :(1) a pair ofoppositely arranged metal elements to form a spark gap in the circuit ofeach spark plug of the ignltion system, (2) individual means forgrounding one side of each spark gap, having a separate handle for eachgap, so that each spark plug circuit can be grounded independently ofthe others, for insertion in said spark gaps to stop the sparkingwithout interrupting the flow of currentin the different spark plugcircuits, (a) a single operating handle for saidmetal means, common toall of said gaps, whereby said metal means are opera le' independ entlyof said grounding means, (5) a struc' ture of insulation forming asupport for said metal elements, (6-) means to support the generalcomb1- jsaid structure in position on the dash of the automobile,

(7) a grounding connection leading from saidindividual means, and (8)circuit connections leading from said metal elements to. the spark plugsand the distributer of the ignition system.

Sig'rifiby me at Chicago, Illinois, 25th day of August, 1917.

JULIUS J. MILLER.

this

adjustable to-

